


You Make Lovin' Fun

by brawnysloth



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-01
Updated: 2018-04-01
Packaged: 2019-04-16 23:09:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14175372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brawnysloth/pseuds/brawnysloth
Summary: Jonathan is off to NYU. Joyce is handling it about as well as is expected. And Hopper just wants the house empty.





	You Make Lovin' Fun

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Easter! This has nothing to do with Easter, but a bit to do with happy. 
> 
> No beta, mistakes are my own. Hope you enjoy x

Jonathan heads off to NYU in July of ‘86. He doesn’t originally plan to leave before the summer is out, but he tells them a week after graduation that he wants to get settled and get a job and a place to live before school starts.

And so, on a humid Saturday morning, Hopper stands on the Byers’ porch between Will and Jane as Joyce paces in and out of the house, fretting over whether Jonathan has everything he needs. They had officially finished packing up the car a while ago but she keeps thinking of things he’d need, clearly stalling.

“Tupperware,” she calls over her shoulder, striding past them back into the house. “You should take some Tupperware with you.”

Jonathan lets out an exasperated sigh from the back of his car, opening his trunk once again so that he can toss in whatever Joyce will return with. He throws his hands up in an exaggerated matter, earning laughs from the kids. Hopper throws him a sympathetic look and holds his hand out to assure him.

“Give me a minute,” he says before venturing into the house to find her.

She’s in the kitchen, on her knees in front of one of the lower cabinets pulling out different plastic containers and lids.

“Joyce,” he calls softly from the doorway.

“He’ll need a few of these and then pots and pans. I know he said he could get some when he gets there but wouldn’t it be easier for us to replace them than for him to buy them?”

“Joyce.”

“And maybe some dry foods you know,” she continues, opening the adjacent cabinet. “Just some stuff to get him started.” She pulls out a bag of flour and yeah he definitely needs to stop this and quick, he thinks.

He walks over and squats down next to her, putting a gentle hand on her back. She turns to look at him, eyes wide. Her hands are shaking and it’s clear to see she’s trying her best not to cry.

“Hey,” he whispers. “C’mere.”

“Hop I’ve gotta-“

“Joyce,” he cuts her off. He reaches a hand out to shut the cabinet she'd originally been searching through and maneuvers to sit back against it. He grabs her hand from off the flour and tugs gently until she’s tucked into his side, her head nestled beneath his chin.

“He’s been ready for over an hour now, Joyce.”

“I’m not,” she says shakily into the crook of his neck. “He’s my baby, Hop.”

“I know. But you can’t keep him here forever. Even if you want to.” He turns his head, burying his nose in her hair. “You’ve gotta let him go live his life Joyce,” he mumbles.

She nods, hand sliding up to rest on his chest. He reaches for it and squeezes it comfortingly and presses a kiss to the crown of her head.

“Besides,” he adds after a moment, “the sooner he leaves the sooner the other two will head off to the Wheelers and then you get to see me naked.”

That draws a laugh from her and she tilts her head up so he can see her eye roll.

“Yes because I keep track of my days by when I will see you naked next.”

He shrugs. “Hey that’s how I track my days. Thinking of you naked that is. Not me.” He grins down at her. “Though I guess technically I think of me too, seeing as I prefer when you’re naked somewhere in my general vicinity.”

She laughs again, but it’s short lived, the smiling fading from her face. He sighs, bending down to kiss her softly.

“Look,” he begins after pulling away, “he’s not too far. Whenever you miss him we can be out there to see him in no time.”

“In that case we’d be better off just moving out there with him,” she jokes. “It would save us money.”

He can’t put into words just how happy he is to finally hear her use the words ‘we’ and ‘us’. It had taken them so long to get to this point. Months of casual sex, coming together with the mutual need to feel alive. And then _so very long_ pushing each other further, probing and questioning if they could do this; if they could have more. 

In the grand scheme of things, keeping it from the kids was maybe not the best move. If this thing between the two of them failed - crashed and burned - it was going to affect the kids regardless of whether they knew or not. But hell if they hadn’t enjoyed having this just to themselves for the time being. They’d put enough expectations and pressure on themselves to make this relationship work. They didn’t need the kids watching and judging their every move through it all too.

“We should tell them,” she says suddenly, as though she can hear his thoughts, pushing away to look up at him. “We - I don’t want him to leave and not know. Hop it’s been months!”

She’s probably right, he thinks. He’d been thinking about it the past few days, but they’d been so caught up with work and the younger ones being out of school and of course all the preparation to get Jonathan ready on relatively short notice. And yet, this was without a doubt, not the right time.

“While I agree, it’s a little late now don’t you think?” She goes to protest but he keeps going. “Joyce this isn't something he’s just gonna nod and say ‘okay’ to and then jump in his car and drive off. It’s gonna be a _conversation_ and it’s already getting late.” He glances at his watch. It’s nearing 9, and he knows Jonathan is going to want to drive straight through until New York. “Look, he’s already behind schedule but if he leaves now he might just get in at a reasonable time. I don’t want him driving too much in the dark so we should let him get on the road.”

She smiles fondly up at him, with a knowing look. 

“What?”

She shakes her head before leaning up to press her lips softly against his. “You care about them,” she says when she pulls away. “And that means a lot to me.”

“Course I care about them,” he grumbles. “If I didn’t you wouldn’t let me see you naked would you?”

She chokes on laughter, slapping him on the chest. “You’re insufferable!”

He hums. “Yeah, s’why you love me.”

She slides her hand from under his on his chest and lifts it to his cheek, pulling his head down for a kiss. He sighs contentedly, sliding his tongue along her bottom lip, and her mouth opens beneath his. 

“Oh!”

They break away with a jolt, eyes cutting towards the doorway. Jane is standing there, and though she looks a bit startled, she hardly looks surprised.

“Okay,” she says, before turning on her heel and heading back outside.

They sit there for a brief moment before Joyce lets out a giggle. “You’re right,” she says, “that would not have been Jonathan’s reaction.”

“Think that’s us outed?”

She shrugs. “Only one way to find out.”

They head back outside empty handed, the flour and Tupperware remaining in the kitchen for which Hopper is grateful. He’s also grateful to find Jane stood on the porch while the boys are down by the car, Will behind the wheel - Christ now he needs to worry about that? - with Jonathan pointing out things on the dashboard. He looks up at Joyce as she wanders over to them.

“No Tupperware?” He asks.

“Oh no, you know what it’s probably best you just get settled there first,” she says.

Hopper lingers back by his daughter for moment.

“You say anything to ‘em?”

She shakes her head. “Not my secret to tell,” she says.

“Thanks kid,” he says. “You uh, okay with... well you know.” He scratches at the back of his neck awkwardly. “Me and Joyce, you know, dating?”

She looks up at him. Stares at him in that intense way she does before she shrugs. 

“Yes. I have been since Christmas.” With that she heads down the steps towards the others, leaving Hopper stunned in her wake.

 _Christmas_? She’d – had she – seen them? He shakes his head with a groan and heads after her. He’ll follow up on that comment later.

He hangs back briefly to let the kids and Joyce say their goodbyes before he steps forward. They stand awkwardly for a moment, unsure of what to do, before Hop pulls the younger man into a hug. He pulls away but keeps his hand clasped on Jonathan’s shoulder.

“Be safe,” he says, “drive slow. If you need to stop somewhere and stay the night, stop. We want you to make it there in one piece.”

“I will.” 

“And you have Frank’s address right?” Jonathan nods, patting his jacket pocket. “Good I’ll give him a call to tell him you’re leaving. He’s a good guy. Him and his old lady will take good care of you until you can get on your feet.”

He looks over Jonathan again. It’s hard to fathom he’s only know the kid for a few years, and what a difference the few years have made. He’s watched him grow into the young man that stands before him and he’s filled with immense pride and love. Joyce was right earlier; he cares about her kids, grown to love them like they’re his own. He pulls Jonathan into a hug once more.

“You need anything,” he says quietly, “just call and I’m on my way you got it?”

Jonathan nods. “Keep them safe,” he says back, “please.”

Hop pulls away. “With my life.”

“Hop,” Joyce calls from behind him, “he was ready an hour ago.”

“Right,” he says, clearing his throat. “Yeah ‘course, okay.”

He steps away, back towards Joyce and the kids. With one last chorus of goodbyes, Jonathan settles in his car and puts it in reverse. They wave to him until he’s out of sight. 

“Mom?” Will asks hesitantly. “Will you be okay if we go over Mike’s for a bit?” 

Hopper sneaks a glance her way. She avoids meeting his eyes, but she’s barely containing a smile.

“Sure baby,” she says, “just call when you get there okay? And be home for dinner!”

They holler back that they will, already on their bikes and heading down the drive. When they too are out of sight, Hopper turns to her with a smirk. She’s giving him an annoyed look, but there’s no missing the mischievous glint in her eyes.

“Well,” she huffs, “Why aren’t you in my bed naked already?”

Grinning, he grabs for her hand with one of his and reaches for the buttons of his shirt with the other. He scrambles up the porch steps, her laughter ringing out behind him. As sad as they both are to see the eldest of the three go, he’s looking forward to the perks that come with having one less person they need to worry about catching them.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. Just a little one shot idea I had bouncing around in my head. Have a few others I might explore.
> 
> Let me know what you think. Ta x


End file.
